Crimson Bonds

Chapter 37: Secrets in the Shadows

The air between them felt heavy, thick with the weight of secrets and revelations yet to come. Billy stood at the window, his gaze far off in the distance as he processed everything that had just been laid at their feet. Babe, still reeling from the truth of his bloodline, sat on the edge of the couch, his fingers idly tracing the lines of the ancient scroll Chalida had left behind.

For the first time in a long while, silence stretched between them, not the comfortable kind, but the kind that carried a million unspoken fears.

"Billy... what are you thinking?" Babe asked softly, his voice cutting through the quiet.

Billy didn't turn right away. His eyes stayed focused on the city skyline, but his mind was elsewhere-buried deep in the past, in the fragments of stories he had long forgotten or chosen to ignore. Stories about his family, about their part in sealing the Leviathans, and the dark decisions they had made to keep that power in place.

He finally turned, his eyes meeting Babe's. "I don't know where to start, Tofu," Billy said with a soft smile, using the nickname he had given Babe months ago. It was the one thing that made him feel lighter in this moment-reminding him of the simplicity they once had, before everything had spiraled into chaos.

Babe smiled back, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You've been quiet since Chalida left... It's not like you."

Billy walked over to the couch, sitting beside him. The proximity was comforting, but the tension in the air remained palpable. "I'm trying to piece everything together," Billy said after a pause. "Everything Chalida said... everything I've learned about your family, my family-about the Leviathans." His jaw clenched. "And about the hunters."

Babe's eyes searched his face. "Your family... you've never told me much about them."

Billy looked down at his hands. "That's because I didn't know much-at least, not until recently. The Patchanon family has always been shrouded in secrecy. We've been powerful, sure, but... there were things I wasn't told. Things they kept from me."

Babe tilted his head slightly, curiosity edging out the fear in his expression. "Like what?"

Billy's eyes darkened, a shadow crossing over them. "The artifact that the hunter used on us... it wasn't just some weapon they stumbled upon. It's tied to my family, Babe. The Patchanon clan helped create it."

Babe's breath hitched. "Wait, what? How?"

Billy let out a slow, frustrated sigh. "Centuries ago, when the Leviathans were first sealed away, my ancestors-along with yours-were part of the ritual. They didn't just seal the Leviathans... they created safeguards. That artifact was one of them. It was meant to be a failsafe, a way to stop the Leviathans if they ever tried to break free. But..." He trailed off, his expression hardening.

"But what?" Babe pressed, his heart pounding.

Billy shook his head. "Over time, my family got greedy. They realized the artifact could do more than just stop the Leviathans-it could control power itself, take magic from others. And that's when things went wrong."

Babe stared at him, the weight of the revelation crashing down like a tidal wave. "So the hunters... they're not just after us because of what we are. They're after us because of what your family did."

Billy nodded grimly. "Yeah. The hunters were once allies, sworn to protect the supernatural world from threats like the Leviathans. But when they found out about the artifact-about what it could do-they turned on us. My ancestors betrayed them, tried to keep the artifact's power for themselves. That's where this vendetta started."

Babe leaned back, trying to process everything. "So... this whole time, the hunters weren't just hunting us out of some ancient grudge. They're hunting us because they think we're a threat to the world."

Billy's eyes softened as he looked at Babe. "They think we are, but they don't understand. The artifact... it's more dangerous in their hands than it is in ours. And now, with the Leviathans' seal weakening, they're using it for their own purposes."

Babe rubbed his temples, feeling the strain of it all. "This is... a lot. What do we do?"

Billy reached out, taking Babe's hand in his. "We stick together. We fight this-together. But first... there's something we need to talk about."

Babe glanced up, sensing the shift in Billy's tone. "What is it?"

Billy hesitated, then spoke softly. "I don't want to lose you. Not to the hunters, not to the Council, not to the Leviathans... nothing."

Babe felt a lump form in his throat, his heart squeezing at the raw vulnerability in Billy's voice. "You won't," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I'm not going anywhere."

Billy's grip tightened on Babe's hand. "You say that, but... I've lived for centuries, Tofu. I've seen people come and go. I've lost friends, lovers... everyone. And now, with everything happening... I'm scared. Scared that I won't be able to protect you. Scared that I'll lose you like I've lost everyone else."

Babe's eyes softened, and he shifted closer, resting his head against Billy's shoulder. "Mumu," he whispered, using the nickname he had given Billy. "You're not going to lose me. I'm not like the others."

Billy smiled at the sound of the name-something so simple, so innocent in the midst of everything dark and complicated. "Mumu, huh? You're sticking with that one?"

Babe chuckled softly. "Yeah. It suits you."

Billy leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Babe's forehead. "And you're still my Tofu," he murmured, the softness in his voice melting the tension between them.

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's presence, letting the weight of the world slip away, if only for a moment. In the midst of hunters, prophecies, and ancient evils, this was their sanctuary-their connection, the one thing that kept them grounded when everything else threatened to fall apart.

But even as they held each other, the shadows outside their window stretched longer, darker, hinting at forces moving just beyond their sight. The Leviathans' seal was weakening, and with it, the dangers would only grow. They couldn't afford to rest for long.

"We'll face this," Billy whispered, his voice filled with quiet determination. "No matter what comes next, we'll face it together."

Babe nodded against his chest, his resolve solidifying. "Together."